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Related Experiment Videos

Flagellated ectosymbiotic bacteria propel a eucaryotic cell

S L Tamm

    The Journal of Cell Biology
    |September 1, 1982
    PubMed
    Summary

    Termite flagellates use surface bacteria for locomotion. These ectosymbiotic bacteria, not the host

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    Area of Science:

    • Microbiology
    • Symbiosis
    • Cell Biology

    Background:

    • Devescovinid flagellates, protozoa inhabiting termites, display unique motility.
    • Locomotion is dependent on external factors like cell contact or substrates.
    • The mechanism of movement was previously unclear, with host structures implicated.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To elucidate the mechanism of rapid gliding movements in a devescovinid flagellate.
    • To determine the role of ectosymbiotic bacteria in the protozoan's locomotion.
    • To investigate the novelty of bacterial flagella powering eukaryotic cell movement.

    Main Methods:

    • Inactivation of host flagella and rotary axostyle.
    • Inhibition of bacterial flagellar motility using specific agents.
    • Analysis of isolated host vesicles with attached bacteria.
    • Direct visualization of bacterial flagellar wave propagation using video-enhanced polarization microscopy.

    Main Results:

    • Gliding motility is powered by ectosymbiotic rod bacteria, not the host's structures.
    • Bacteria possess procaryotic flagella located on their exposed surface within host pockets.
    • Motility ceases upon inhibition of bacterial flagella, confirming their propulsive role.
    • Host vesicles rotate based on the number of attached bacteria, demonstrating bacterial contribution.

    Conclusions:

    • Ectosymbiotic bacteria provide the propulsive force for devescovinid flagellate gliding.
    • This represents a novel motility-linked symbiosis where bacterial flagella drive eukaryotic movement.
    • The 'wall effect' may enhance efficiency by aligning bacterial flagellar bundles near surfaces.

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